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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lie · rock · safe · trunk · lean · perch · game · bass

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bass — low music
  8. game — a match
  9. lean — thin
  10. game — wild animals
  11. bass — the fish
  12. rock — a stone
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. rock — music
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — the fish
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. lie — to recline
  24. bass — the instrument

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com